In Exodus 2:1–10 an unnamed sister helped to deliver her brother (Moses) at the Nile River. Her identity as Miriam was confirmed by many commentators, supported by two genealogies listing Moses, Aaron, and Miriam as the only children of Amram and Jochebed (Num 26:59; 1 Chr 6:3)¹. She is also named when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea (Exo 15:20–21) where she was called “the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister”.
Miriam was therefore the first woman in the Bible to bear the title “Prophet”*. Some scholars suggest that this title was merely for honor as a well-known and respected figure and does not describe the actual role Miriam played². These views are however contrasted by references that show Miriam was connected to a prophetic role. Evidence supporting the latter claim is noted in two scriptures. In Numbers 12:1–8, Moses’s unique role of speaking with God face to face was used to distinguish him from other prophets when Miriam and Aaron spoke against him, asking “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?”…“Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” Here, God directly addressed all three (Moses, Aaron, and Miriam), indicating a recognition of their roles, and both Miriam and Aaron acknowledged that God spoke through them too. Also, Micah 6:4 lists Miriam, together with her brothers, as those God sent to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
Miriam’s leadership role is significant as we have come to understand that the role of women was often unrecognized in Old Testament narratives. Sadly, her complaint against Moses had its consequences. She and Aaron criticized Moses for marrying a Cushite or Ethiopian woman, and she likely instigated the complaint because she is listed first in Num 12:13. While the complaint was against Moses’ wife, their discontent ran deeper when they asked “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?”. In their criticism, Miriam and Aaron were questioning the Lord’s wisdom in choosing Moses as their main leader. For this, the Lord struck Miriam with leprosy and Aaron was convicted of God’s displeasure³.
Why was Miriam punished and not Aaron? Two possible explanations⁴ are that:
- Miriam was held more responsible because she instigated the complaint: She was named before Aaron at the start of the account (whereas in every other place in the Bible where they are named together, including later in the same account, Aaron is mentioned first as the eldest brother). Again, the verb “speak against” is in the feminine singular in Hebrew: “She spoke, Miriam, and Aaron, against Moses . . .” which supports this claim.
- God spared Aaron so that he could effectively function in his priestly role: We see Aaron act in this priestly role right after he is convicted, by approaching Moses to ask for forgiveness: “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed” (v.11–12). Moses then prayed for Miriam’s healing (v.13). Had Aaron been struck with leprosy, he would not have been able to function in this role according to their priestly laws. This way, God tempered his judgment with mercy, so that both Miriam and Aaron could receive forgiveness for their sin.
After her punishment, Miriam was absent from the rest of the narrative until the announcement of her death and burial (Num 20:1)¹. She was not addressed as a wife or mother, as she did not have a husband or children. However, it is believed that Miriam’s afterlife continues through her name and her deeds in the New Testament. The Greek name Mary is the equivalent of the Hebrew Miriam, and the various Marys of the Gospels reflect Miriam’s actions in her lifetime: singing a song of deliverance (Lk 1:46–55), embodying a diseased condition (Lk 8:2), and exercising authority (Matt 28:1–10; Lk 24:10; Jn 20:11–18)¹.
Miriam’s life reminds us not to judge others and not to be envious of other people’s gifts (Tit 3:1–15; Jas 1:26; 4:11–12; Eph 4:31; Phil 4:8). While her life was filled with responsibility and service, God’s calling and providence, it also reminds us that no one is above God’s discipline³ and the consequences of sin.
Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 1 Cor 10:11–12
*Other women who were called prophetesses are Deborah (Judges 4:4), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Isaiah’s wife (Isaiah 8:3), Anna (Luke 2:36), and Philip’s four daughters (Acts 21:8–9)³.
References
- Trible, P. (2009, March 20). Miriam:Bible. Jewish Women’s Archive. Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/miriam-bible
- Tervanotko, H. (n.d.). Miriam. Bible Odyssey. Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://www.bibleodyssey.org/en/people/main-articles/miriam
- GotQuestions.org. (n.d.). Who was Miriam in the Bible? gotquestions.org. Retrieved February 17, 2021, from https://www.gotquestions.org/Miriam-in-the-Bible.html
- Smith, C.R. (2014, February 7). Why was only Miriam punished with leprosy when she and Aaron rebelled against Moses? Retrieved August 9, 2021, from https://goodquestionblog.com/2014/02/07/why-was-only-miriam-punished-when-she-and-aaron-rebelled/
